Most modern treadmills provide a wealth of information for runners and walkers. Your treadmill's display can tell you your speed, distance traveled, and the gradient of your platform's incline. Some modern treadmills can even make an estimate of your calories burned while working out. If your treadmill does not provide such information, you can still calculate the distance of your workout, which is useful for setting goals and determining how many calories you're burning during your run or walk.

Preliminary Data

Step 1

Record the preliminary data that you'll need to measure the distance of your workout before you begin your run. You can also record your weight for a calculation of your calories burned. This additional information is similarly useful, since it provides valuable insight into the effectiveness of your workout and your overall fitness level. Set an approximate distance goal, so you can use the recorded data from your run to plan your next workout.

Step 2

Calculate the distance of your run by multiplying your speed by the amount of time you spend running. For example, if you run at eight miles per hour for thirty minutes, which is 1/2 an hour, you will have traveled about four miles. If your treadmill does not display a speed setting, you will have to calculate your average speed using a GPS watch.

Step 3

Use a bicycle speedometer to approximate your average pace if you don't have a GPS watch and if your treadmill does not display speed information. Have a friend ride next to you on an outdoor run or walk so he can record your average speed on his bicycle's speedometer.

Tip

Setting a more difficult gradient on your treadmill will increase the number of calories burned over the course of your workout.